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BREAKING: US Court Orders Buhari, Others To Produce Documents In Case Involving Government Agency Boss, Wabote's Foreign Accounts, Alleged Bribery

Buhari was subpoenaed in his capacity as Minister of Petroleum through the Office of his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in a case between Simbi Kesiyi Wabote and US-based Nigerian-American journalist, Jackson Ude.

A United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has subpoenaed the Office of the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and others. 
Buhari was subpoenaed in his capacity as Minister of Petroleum through the Office of his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in a case between Simbi Kesiyi Wabote and US-based Nigerian-American journalist, Jackson Ude.

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A subpoena is a document ordering someone to come to court and be a witness or ordering someone to give documents to the court.
Wabote, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) had sued Ude, a journalist in a US court for defamation of character.
The NCDMB boss claimed the journalist through his online publication, Pointblanknews.com defamed his character via a story in which it was inferred that he financially compromised his position and abused the privileges of his office in the build-up to the launch of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7.
However, the case took a twist as a lawyer to Ude, Barr. Beneth O. Amadi, in entering an appearance for the journalist convinced the court to subpoena President Buhari as Minister of Petroleum Resources.
The court subsequently subpoenaed the Nigerian President to explain why a waiver was granted to Wabote to operate foreign accounts which are suspected to be used to hide bribe proceeds.
The subpoena to the President reads: "Subpoena to produce documents, information or objects or to permit inspection of premises in a Civil Action. To: Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Through the Chief of Staff - H. E. Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Aso Rock Villa, Asokoro, Abuja –Nigeria (Minister of Petroleum). 
"Production: YOU ARE COMMANDED to produce at the time, date and place set forth below the following documents, electronically stored information or objects, and to permit inspection, copying, testing, or sampling of the material."
The time stated in the document says: "On and before 12pm on December 17, 2021, and the place is Amado Law Office, 204 Blossom Street, Suite A, Lynn Massachusetts 01901."
The court also extended the subpoena dated December 7, 2021, to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Other persons subpoenaed include Isaac Yalah of NCDMB; Barr. Mohammed Umar, Director, Legal Services of NCDMB; Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited; Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Pennsylvania Record in its Court Activity of May 17, a Nigerian, Wabote had brought a civil case against Ude.
“The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania reported the following activity in the suit brought by Simbi Kesiyi Wabote against Jackson Ude on May 17: 'Order That Counsel For Plaintiff[s] Must Serve This Order On Every Party To This Case Immediately After The Party’s First Appearance, Unless This Case Was Removed From State Court, In Which Case This Responsibility Falls On Counsel For The Party Who Removed The Case; Etc. As Herein. Signed By Honorable Joseph F. Leeson, Jr On 5/17/21.
“Case number 5:21-cv-02214-JFL was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on May 14,” the record said.
Both parties had filed claims and counter-claims in the U.S. court.
The subpoenas, according to the defendant’s lawyer, were directed at key actors in the Nigerian oil and gas value chain and their respective responses would help in resolving the case.

DOCUMENTS: US Court Orders Buhari, Others to Produce Documents in Case Involving Government Agency Boss, Wa... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd